Alister Cameron is an accomplished web designer and internet marketing consultant who turns established subject-matter experts into expert bloggers. Alister's clients are using blogging and social media to leverage their offline expertise in the online world, and engage Alister to build their blogging platform or social network; to train them in writing and online marketing strategy; and to help them stay up with the latest developments in blogging and online marketing.

Sherryl and I were down at Chadstone for her birthday, a couple of weeks back. That place is ridiculously huge, by the way.
So, we wandered into a shop and saw this totally MAD collection of Doc Martins (I think they were Docs...). It got me to thinking that we're all different. We really are! If I lined up 100 teenage girls and walked them into a shoe shop, they'd all have different opinions on which shoes/boots suited whom the best. Imagine the noise levels of that discussion :)
But that's what I love about social media. I love that people's individuality comes out for all to see. Sometimes good, sometimes bad... usually unexpected.
Humanity is a richer and more colourful tapestry than most of us give it credit for.
So today. Let someone you know well be unexpected. Don't box them in. Especially if it's one of your children. Let them be unexpected. They may not choose the same pair of Docs you think they would.
Serendipity is a cool word - it means to discover something unexpectedly that turns out to be wonderful. Today's as good a day as any to let serendipity happen in one of your special relationships :)

26.4.01

25.4.00

It's Easter Tuesday and Anzac Day to boot. Sitting here at home on Tara's machine getting the WCF site done. Need to have a shop and templates and bunch of other PHP stuff done by the end of this month! EEK.

The whole family has been getting over the flu. I keep coughing up the ugliest stuff and Kaz has been spending half of most days just lying on the couch. Ali is not herself. In other words she isn't trashing the house! Tori is back in town for a while. We were going to go down and visit here new place down on the Mornington Peninsula, but we were all too diseased.

I am really impressed with the new Pyra project management toolset. It's only in beta, and it will have blogger built into it... all up a very neat package. I am testing it for work stuff... let me know if you like it too.

It is a perfect day today. Not a cloud in the sky. Would be a good day for a picnic. I'll get back to this if I have time... after getting some more work done. Ciao.

14.4.00

Got emailed a really interesting book excerpt for your consideration...

"There is ample evidence to suggest that how
parents interact with a child will have a lasting effect on the kind of person
that child grows up to be. In one of our studies conducted at the University of
Chicago, for example, Kevin Rathunde observed that teenagers who had certain
types of relationship with their parents were significantly more happy,
satisfied, and b in most life situations than their peers who did not have
such a relationship. The family context promoting optimal experience could be
described as having five characteristics.

"Clarity. The teenagers feel that they know what their parents expect of them - goals and
feedback in the family interaction are unambiguous.
"Centering. The children have a perception that their parents are interested in
what they are doing in the present, in their concrete feelings and experiences,
rather than being preoccupied with whether they will be getting into a good
college or obtaining a well-paying job.

"Choice. Children feel that they have a variety of possibilities from which to
choose, including that of breaking parental rules - as long as they are prepared
to face the consequences.

"Commitment. The trust that
allows the child to feel comfortable enough to set aside the shield of his
defences, and become unselfconsciously involve in whatever he is interested
in.

"Challenge The parent's dedication to provide
increasingly complex opportunities for action to their
children."

2.3.00

I have been trying to get up at 5:30am every morning and spend time with Jesus. I know that if you asked me what the one single thing I could do to change my life most for the better... that would be it. So no more Mr Nice Guy. I gotta do it. But I have the problem of trying to get to bed at 10:00pm every nite. That's really tough because of evening appointments and having two young kids. I'll keep posting on progress.

Ali has chicken pox. It's all over her. Poor munchkin. We feel really sorry for her but because she's such a sweetie she's sort of half oblivious to it! Anyway she and Gabi are going to the pediatrician today. Gabrielle is a major handful for Kaz as she cries hysterically for no good reason, far too often. I had her last night trying to get a bottle into her. Man... the howling just gets into your soul. So we're praying the doc will have a definitive answer. Kaz is just scared he's going to say something like, "She'll grow out of it and there's nothing you can do... sorry!" That would be a huge bummer.

Simon got me a ticket to the rugby at the MCG. I get to be in Shell's corporate box tomorrow nite for a free feed and show! Awesome even if I know nothing about ruggers. Tim will be jealous.

Shibu is wearing a nice new YSL suit. He's very proud. Dame might have a job at Sausage. We're praying he does.

1.3.00

Well friends, this is the humble start to what I hope will be a fun experience... my weblog. It's where I get to tell you stuff from day to day as it happens. Thanx to blogger.com for making it really easy. Coz I just don't have the time for making it difficult. My old home page is still available if U want it.

Started BCV with Tim yesterday (Claire was there too). It was my first lecture ever in what looks like a long and drawn out B Th. But I have begun! YAY!

Started Cleansing Stream Monday nite with Kaz. It looks like it will be a really awesome 16 weeks of going back to basics and looking at the fear of the Lord all over again... and maybe getting it right this time! We have a heap of reading, cassette tape listening and video watching to do. As well as pages and pages of study material to go thru.